


Never

by bigboobedcanuck



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: Boys Kissing, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-01
Updated: 2013-09-01
Packaged: 2017-12-25 07:57:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/950625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigboobedcanuck/pseuds/bigboobedcanuck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Dr. Reid Oliver is never going to kiss Luke Snyder.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>It’s not going to happen. It doesn’t matter that Luke Snyder is going out of his way to help Reid (he’s just doing it for Noah). It doesn’t matter that Luke Snyder is actually a good listener once he stops talking (very rare). It doesn’t matter that Luke Snyder has become something approaching a friend (it’s only for the good of the hospital wing).</i>
</p><p>
  <i>It doesn’t matter how many towels Luke Snyder drops.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never

**Author's Note:**

> Importing my old fic from LJ. This is set post-April 15, 2010 episode.

Dr. Reid Oliver is never going to kiss Luke Snyder.

It’s not going to happen. It doesn’t matter that Luke Snyder is going out of his way to help Reid ( _he’s just doing it for Noah_ ). It doesn’t matter that Luke Snyder is actually a good listener once he stops talking ( _very rare_ ). It doesn’t matter that Luke Snyder has become something approaching a friend ( _it’s only for the good of the hospital wing_ ).

It doesn’t matter how many towels Luke Snyder drops.

*

Noah’s right. Reid’s glad he’s not alone in Dallas to face the medical board. You’d think he’d have friends galore to support him, considering he lived in Dallas for years. But there’s not one person Reid can think of that he wants by his side more at the hearing than Luke. He realizes that despite what comes out of his mouth, he hasn’t thought of Luke as “Mr. Snyder” in his head for a distressing number of days.

Luke has arranged for a town car to take them to the hearing. Traffic whizzes by ( _hasn’t missed rush hour at all_ ) and they both clamber in from the safety of the sidewalk. Reid doesn’t scoot over quite far enough and for a moment after Luke gets in, their thighs touch.

Reid ignores the sudden tingling in his extremities and shifts over as far as he can go without leaving the vehicle.

*

The elevator unbelievably stops between floors on their way up. This time Luke doesn’t bounce around in glee. As the other four people crowded into the elevator with them ( _can’t breathe, can’t breathe_ ) complain bitterly about having to get on with their Very Important Lives, Reid experiences the alien sensation of Luke’s hand clasping his.

Luke squeezes Reid’s palm and whispers to him to think about brains. Reid takes a deep breath and tries to mentally explore the wonders of the cerebral cortex. Instead he finds his focus zeroing in on the contours of Luke’s hand and how their fingers weave together.

Reid blinks in surprise when the elevator doors open at the next floor. He didn’t realize they were moving again.

*

The hearing goes as expected. Reid tries his best to be human, with varying degrees of success, which he judges by the expressions on Luke’s face during Reid’s testimony. When it’s over and the panel goes to deliberate, Luke clasps Reid’s shoulder and tells him not to worry. As he blathers on about the truth ( _not to mention justice and the American way_ ) his hand stays put.

As they walk down the hall to wait in an empty office, Reid takes his jacket off, suddenly warm.

*

The deliberations take longer than they should. Reid knows he has nothing to worry about, but he begins pacing, a textbook indication of anxiety. It’s ludicrous. He’s done nothing wrong ( _should have saved her, could have saved her_ ).

Luke asks if he wants to go take an elevator ride to calm him down, and Reid stops pacing and starts laughing instead.

*

After the board hands down its decision in Reid’s favour ( _unanimous, of course_ ), Reid approaches the Judds. He can sense Luke hovering nearby, and remembers Luke’s coaching in being human. Reid clears his throat and tells them the truth: he’s sorry their daughter died. He hates that she died, and that he couldn’t save her. He hates that it was out of his control.

He’s not sure it means anything to the Judds, who nod stiffly and all but run from the room, but it means something to him.

*

Reid has to stay for a while and glad-hand with the board members and thank them for their wisdom in not making a completely asinine decision. He’s always hated the politics of medicine. At one point when he tells one of the doctors that her neuro lab will never be able to compare to the one Reid will have in Oakdale ( _not even close, it’s like horse and buggy vs. Porsche_ ), he hears Luke snickering.

Once they’re alone, Luke tells him he still has a lot to teach Reid about interacting with people. Reid finds he doesn’t completely dread the prospect.

*

Outside, Reid breathes in the fresh air deeply. He won ( _as if there was any doubt_ ) and standing here on a Dallas sidewalk, he feels like he can take on the world. Luke is musing that he’s not sure why the car isn’t there yet, but Reid could float the ten miles back to the hotel.

He is about to suggest walking when the car arrives. Reid clambers in first again, and this time when their thighs touch, he doesn’t move. Neither does Luke.

*

Luke has forgotten his phone ( _brilliant_ ) and insists on going back to his room to get it before they go out for a celebratory lunch to talk about plans for the new Oakdale wing.

The towel is still on the floor.

His hotel room hasn’t been cleaned yet and Luke apologizes for the perceived mess, indicating the rumpled bed. Reid stares at it ( _hot skin, sweaty moans as he pounds Luke into the mattress_ ) for so long that Luke asks what’s wrong.

Luke’s expression is concerned, and he unconsciously licks his lips as he waits for Reid to answer. Reid takes hold of Luke’s lapels and their lips touch, mouths opening after a few seconds of sweet pressure. Tongues meet and hands grasp, bodies closer, closer.

The maid pushes her cart into the room, stopping short and apologizing profusely, her face turning a shade of red often described as "beet." She natters something about the sign not being on the door and Reid takes the opportunity to step away from Luke and collect himself. He breathes deeply and concentrates on returning his pulse to its normal rate.

His pulse is uncooperative.

Reid leaves, telling Luke he’ll see him on the plane back to Oakdale.

*

Dr. Reid Oliver is never going to kiss Luke Snyder ( _again_ ).


End file.
